NTU confers honorary doctorate on Mr Teo Chee Hean
NTU Singapore today conferred Senior Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office and Temasek Holdings Chairman Mr Teo Chee Hean an honorary degree in recognition of his profound and distinguished contributions to Singapore across many roles.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore and NTU Chancellor, conferred Mr Teo an honorary Doctor of Letters at a ceremony held on the NTU campus.
Mr Teo spent more than three decades in public office before retiring from politics in 2025. He was Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security from 2019 and 2015 respectively, and Deputy Prime Minister from 2009 to 2019.
His portfolio includes serving as Minister for the Environment (1995 – 1997), Minister for Education (1997 – 2003), Minister for Defence (2003 – 2011) and Minister for Home Affairs (2011 – 2015).
Prior to joining politics, Mr Teo served in the Singapore Armed Forces for 20 years, where he was appointed Chief of Navy in 1991.
NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua said: “Mr Teo has dedicated his career to safeguarding and advancing the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans. The honorary degree recognises his profound and distinguished contributions in his many roles, from home affairs to defence, education, and the environment. On behalf of the NTU community, I thank Mr Teo for his lifetime of service to our nation. We are proud to have him as an honorary graduate of NTU.”
Mr Teo Chee Hean said: “I am honoured and grateful to receive this honorary degree from NTU. Throughout its history, NTU has embodied the spirit of progress through education, constantly adapting to better serve each new generation. It is a privilege to be associated with an institution that has contributed so much to Singapore and continues to prepare and inspire generations of young leaders and students.”
Honouring more than five decades of public service
Mr Teo began his career as a navy officer and left as the Chief of Navy to enter politics after 20 years in the Singapore Armed Forces, going on to serve another 33 years in public office.
As a council member of the Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) from 1988 to 1991, Mr Teo helped oversee NTI’s reconstitution as Nanyang Technological University, followed by the integration of the National Institute of Education in July 1991.
In 2017, Mr Teo officiated the opening of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), jointly established by NTU and Imperial College London.
An Imperial alumnus, he helped deepen Imperial’s ties with Singapore, supporting cross-border education and research through LKCMedicine and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and strengthening science and innovation in the UK, Singapore and beyond.
As Minister for Education, Mr Teo led major reforms to prepare students for a knowledge-based economy.
Mr Teo shaped Singapore’s education landscape by launching the Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice at the National Institute of Education in 2002. By 2004, it had become Asia’s largest education research centre, producing findings that informed policy, curriculum development and teaching practices in schools.
His forward-thinking initiatives included revising primary, secondary and junior college curricula to strengthen thinking, communication and process skills. He guided reviews of the Mother Tongue Languages curriculum, introduced single‑session primary schools, and expanded opportunities for co‑curricular and enrichment activities, contributing to the more holistic development of generations of students.
Beyond education, Mr Teo made significant contributions to Singapore’s defence and security. As Minister for Defence, Mr Teo led the 3rd Generation transformation of the Singapore Armed Forces, strengthening its land, sea and air capabilities to ensure it remained effective in an increasingly complex security environment. He deepened defence cooperation with international partners and played a key role in establishing the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting‑Plus, while helping to develop the Shangri‑La Dialogue into a premier platform for regional security dialogue and cooperation.
As Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Teo transformed the Home Team by accelerating the integration of technology to speed up and strengthen police and civil defence responses. He also enhanced the capacity of the Home Team through community partnerships, tapping on Singaporeans as ears and eyes on the ground to help fight crime, to counter radicalisation and terrorism, and to be first responders in fire and medical emergencies.
As Coordinating Minister for National Security, Mr Teo ensured that Singapore’s external and domestic security strategies are well-integrated and forward-looking, including the establishment of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore to deal with cyber threats.
As Deputy Prime Minister and Senior Minister, Mr Teo provided strategic leadership in addressing complex and cross-cutting national challenges, such as population and climate change, and guided coordinated national responses on these issues of long-term significance.
